


Crossing Lanes

by BladedDarkness



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Asexual Alex Danvers, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Universe Alterations, mentioned pairing: Alex Danvers/Susan Vasquez
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-08-09 12:10:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7801366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BladedDarkness/pseuds/BladedDarkness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post Falling.</p>
<p>Lucy needs a favor. Kara just wants to feel back to normal.</p>
<p>Or, Lois is coming to visit in two weeks and Lucy needs a date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It’s the nervousness in Lucy’s tone when Kara answers the phone that makes Kara realize this call is about something  _ important _ . 

 

“I need a favor.”

 

Oh, boy.

 

“So Lois has been trying to convince me to get back together with James because apparently she misses those torture sessions known as double dates with us.”

 

“You double date with your sister?”

 

“Don’t you?”

 

“Alex doesn’t date. Not really.” Not that Eliza doesn’t keep trying to encourage Alex to do so regardless of the fact that Alex is completely uninterested. Kara understands, but Eliza still doesn’t.

 

Kara understands, but that doesn’t mean she entirely gets why Alex is only willing to cuddle family and Susan, but Vasquez is cool as long as their “friends-with-cuddles” status (Kara wonders why would you have friends and not cuddle them) doesn’t hurt Alex.

 

“Okay, so,” Lucy starts again, “Lois has been reminding me of all the good times, yada yada, right? And I know she gets why I broke up with him, you know?”

 

Well, Kara doesn’t, but that’s because both of them get super awkward around her about it, and considering Kara lives her life alternating between super and awkward, she figures she at least knows it when she sees it.

 

“What does this have to do with me? I mean I’m happy to be a listening ear, but -”

 

“No! I mean, yeah, I like that you’re willing to, but that brings me to the favor part of my request. And I know you’re like, crazy busy, saving the city and trying to keep the latest super villain chick of the week from killing Cat while trying to keep Cat from killing  _ you _ , but really, this favor. Teeny tiny.”

 

The hair on the back of Kara’s neck starts rising. “Tell me.”

 

“Okay, so, I may have just wanted Lois to stop bringing it up, so I may have told her I’m already seeing someone.”

 

“Lucy…”

 

“And she may want to meet them in two weeks.”

 

“You didn’t.”

 

“You were the first person I thought of.”

 

“You told your sister, Lois Lane, you were dating me?!” Cat  _ is _ going to kill Kara. And Lucy. Then Supergirl for good measure because she’s not sure her boss has been fooled.

 

“No! I didn’t tell her any specifics, just that I was seeing someone. But now I need a fake date in two weeks, and Winn isn’t exactly my type and Alex is technically either my subordinate or my boss depending on which government agency has curried more favor this week.”

 

\-----

 

“I really don’t get your alien magnetism,” Alex says, swiping a pot sticker. “I mean, you’re cute and all, but half of CatCo wants in your pants now. I can’t decide if that’s better than when everybody just wanted under your cape.”

 

“What? No they don’t.”

 

“Oh, they really, really do.”

 

“You’re being ridiculous,” Kara argues around a mouthful of noodles. She pokes Alex’s thigh with her toe for emphasis.

 

“Maybe, but I’m not the one continuing the El-Lane tradition.”

 

Kara groans, slumping further against the arm of the couch.

 

“Even General Lane had to be intrigued by Astra,” Alex teases, smile fading immediately. “I’m -”

 

The carton slams onto the coffee table, crumpling, sending chopsticks and noodles flying in a heap onto the floor. “Shut up before I kick you off my couch.” 

 

“Kara,” warns Alex, muscles stiff, but Kara is already up, pacing behind the couch and breathing harshly through her nose. She watches closely as Kara’s hands tremble. “It’s still affecting you, isn’t it?”

 

“It’s not so easy to keep it under control now,” Kara admits, wrapping her arms around herself, pinching her sides harshly. “Those thoughts I had, they come back sometimes and the emotions with them. The rage, the bitterness, jealousy, malice, superiority. It’s so impulsive now.”

 

“Do you need another dose of stabilizer?” Alex asks, because she can’t bring herself to say ‘Do I need to blast you with Maxwell Lord’s gun again?’. “Maybe I didn’t hold it on you long enough.”

 

It flashes through her mind again, standing over Alex and snapping her arm, her eyes burning with heat. Astra, still wounded, slamming into her and Kara exploiting that weakness as Astra and J’onn held her as tightly as they could, giving Alex time to shoot her with the antidote to Lord’s synthesized red Kryptonite before J’onn and Astra had to retreat together, now fugitives from both Non and (officially) the D.E.O. The blast had hurt awfully, like Leslie’s electric whips but deeper, far beneath her skin and nerves. The red Kryptonite had been more gradual but this was a sudden reshifting of her personality and she had blacked out from it.

 

“No, I’m fine. I feel fine.”

 

“Except for when you don’t.”

 

Kara shrugs. “Yeah, well.”

 

“If it becomes an issue, you come to me,” Alex demands, adjusting her sling. “We’ll get it sorted out.”

 

“I’m okay, Alex. It’s… Think of it like a seal. It’s been broken, so there’s a few leaks now and then. Like when I hug you too hard.” Kara scoops the noodles up and tosses them in the trash. 

 

Alex grabs her arm. “You’re not broken, Kara.”

 

“Maybe not, but a lot of things are.” Her public relationship with the city, Alex’s arm, her and Alex, Supergirl and Cat, Astra and J’onn and the DEO - all of them are casualties fractured by her actions.

 

Alex hugs her.

 

\-----

 

Lucy turns her attention to Kara. “Are you ready to go?”

 

“One second.” Kara leans over her desk and grabs her bag. “Okay.”

 

Lucy’s smile is bright as she hooks their arms together and turns them toward the elevator. “So my sister is about as curious as Cat - oops,” Lucy cuts off, peering around Kara towards Cat’s office and sighing in relief. Kara’s not sure whether she’s more concerned about getting caught for the sin of talking about Lois in CatCo or for the unintentional pun. “Anyways, I figured this lunch was a good start for us getting to really know each other since we can’t exactly tell her what we  _ do _ know about each other.”

 

It sinks in then that Lucy must lead a double life very similar to Kara’s, working at both CatCo publicly and the D.E.O. secretly. There’s not a need for a secret identity, at least, but Lucy still works just as hard - if not harder than Kara, sometimes - to keep the two separate outside their circle of friends. And it’s mostly Kara’s fault that James and Winn know about the D.E.O. so really, Lucy is doing a lot better than Kara. 

 

James steps out of his office, layouts in hand, just as they walk by. “Where are you two off to?”

 

“Kara’s treating me to lunch,” Lucy replies. 

 

She tries hard not to think about how pretty Lucy looks when she smiles that way, because Lucy is smiling at James and has never smiled at her like that.

 

Kara shifts away from Lucy as a glimmer of suspicion crosses James’s face. The guilt crawls up her throat again and she can’t meet his eyes. Lucy crinkles her brow, looking between the two of them, her smile toning down.

 

She’s really grateful that Lucy took the week after breaking up with James to go on vacation. Kara doesn’t want to know what she may have said and done to Lucy under the influence of red Kryptonite. What she has done to everyone else was already so unimaginable.

 

\-----

 

“Want to tell me what that was about back there?” Lucy asks as they take their food to their table.

 

“What was what?”

 

“With James.”

 

Kara fidgets with her straw. “It’s nothing.” Lucy gives her a look. “Really,” Kara insists.

 

“Uh huh.”

 

“Okay so we may have had a little confrontation a couple weeks ago when I was, y’know,” admits Kara. She focuses on her burgers.

 

“Is that what we call it when you’re stripped of inhibitions around the guy you like now?” Lucy crinkles her brow, because she knows about Siobhan and Cat, and had to fill out the paperwork regarding Alex, J’onn, and Astra, but apparently Kara’s mix-up with James had slipped her notice. “What, did you jump him?”

 

Kara’s face reddens. “Not exactly. I may have been a little… mean. About you.”

 

“Oh,” Lucy says, sitting back in her seat.

 

“Yeah, so James isn’t very happy with me right now.”

 

“And?”

 

“And what?” Kara asks.

 

Lucy spears some salad on her fork. “And that’s it?” She laughs. “Because I know I’ve said some pretty mean things about Supergirl, to your face even, and I definitely had some mean thoughts about you beyond that.”

 

Kara tears a strip from her napkin. “I don’t think he likes knowing all that anger is inside me. I think he was expecting me to be more like my cousin.”

 

“He would,” Lucy mutters, rolling her eyes.

 

“But I’m not. I can’t be like Kal-El. I lost my whole world, my  _ purpose _ , my culture, my family. I never got to graduate, I never got to complete the rites and trials of adulthood, to truly earn the right to be called the Heir to the House of El. He got to be raised by two wonderful people, never knowing otherwise, and honestly? I’m glad. They gave him the stability he needed. Can you imagine if I tried to raise him? I was a thirteen year old alien who didn’t even speak any Earthly language! What would I do with a baby?”

 

Lucy’s eyes are wide. “Are you telling me he’s your  _ little _ cousin?”

 

“It’s complicated,” Kara replies, focusing on her food once again.

 

“Why don’t you tell me over dinner? Tomorrow night? There’s a great Italian place at the end of my block.” Her fingers squeeze Kara’s reassuringly. “My treat this time.”

 

Kara shakes her head. “That’s not fair to you. I eat… a lot.” Lucy raises an eyebrow. “Like, ten thousand calories a day, bare minimum.”

 

“Okay, you are not allowed to tell Cat Grant about that or the fact that you’re older than Superman. She’ll murder you and pay someone to harness those super powers for herself.” Lucy pauses. “Congrats on turning her off flying, though.”


	2. Chapter 2

Lucy was wrong. It is  _ not just Lois. _

 

She’s brought  _ Clark. _

 

There’s a clammy feeling between their clasped hands that has to be from Lucy since Kara rarely sweats, but Lucy looks so calm that Kara can’t help but wonder if it really is from her.

 

“This is Kara. Kara, this is my sister Lois and her fiance Clark,” Lucy says brightly.

 

“Kara?” Lois says, surprise flickering across her face and Kara expects her to turn to Clark, but instead her eyes focus on Lucy. “That Kara?” Lucy gives her sister a look that Alex seems to have reserved for Kara as well and it must be a sister thing; it’s that ‘shut up please before I’m forced to kill you’ glare they both seem to have perfected.

 

“Yes,” Lucy grinds out and Lois laughs. Kara and Clark meet each other’s wide eyes and shrug, equally baffled.

 

“Well, it’s wonderful to meet you, Kara,” Lois greets, smiling mirthfully as she shakes Kara’s hand.

 

Kara smiles in relief that she managed the handshake without any complications. “I’ve heard a lot about you.” She doesn’t add that most of what she has heard is actually from Cat Grant, muttered under her breath as she sneers at the latest from the  _ Daily Planet. _

 

She doesn’t hold back when she grips Clark’s hand, biting her cheek when he winces and they pretend to not know each other. A part of her is disappointed that they communicate so much better electronically, that he tries to keep her separate from the rest of his life.

 

The bitter part of her squeezes tighter for an extra second before letting go, and Kara clasps her trembling hands together, too ashamed to make eye contact with Kal-El again so soon.

 

Clark shuffles awkwardly until Lois jams her elbow into his ribs. “We brought wine,” he adds unnecessarily, thrusting the bottle at Kara just a shade too slowly to be superspeed and Lois elbows him again.

 

Lucy takes the bottle and pours herself and Lois two glasses so topped up that it would make Alex jealous.

 

Alex would probably feel much less awkward than Kara does right now. Alex, who has spent the week ribbing both of them, nudging Lucy’s shoulder in the command center and snickering under her breath while Vasquez blinks at them when Lucy shoves Alex off-balance.

 

Kara makes a note to herself to steal Alex's lunch for the next week. 

 

Okay, maybe just two days. Alex doesn't feed herself often enough even without Kara's detrimental assistance.

 

Lucy clears her throat. “So, dinner?”

 

\-----

 

Kara hasn’t had a dinner this awkward since the ambassador dinner with Daxam. Alura had been shooting Astra and Kara exasperated glares all evening as Astra snarked with Daxam’s queen and Kara set a bloodbloom off beneath the chair of the prince after he’d muttered  _ “gryff zha:dhoia” _ under his breath at her.

 

Lucy and Lois are enough to make Kara sympathize with her mother.

 

“Yes, let's all ignore the fact that my boyfriend slept with my sister's boyfriend.”

 

It's a good thing she can't choke, but she still stares wide eyed at Clark. “He did  _ what?” _ Kara looks at Lucy. “With James?”

 

“You know Jimmy?” Lois asks, as if the subject isn't unusual.

 

Kara shifts, surprised when Clark meets her eyes without a hint of shame. “I work with James. And Lucy.” Then, because her brain is determined to see this train wreck all the way through, “I'm Cat’s assistant.”

 

Now Lois winces. “If you could not mention that information to her? She'll never let me hear the end of it. I know it's a little odd, but…” Lois shrugs. “We all, _ mostly, _ moved passed it years ago and Cat might go apoplectic if she finds out she missed some Daily Planet gossip right under her nose.”

 

Kara nods. “If I tell her, then she'll wonder how I know, and I like being employed.”

 

Lois pauses. “You’re Kiera. The Kiera.”

 

What? “Um, yes?”

 

Lois lets out of a bark of laughter that turns into a cackle, further alarming Kara. Lucy grips her hand tightly under the table. “Kitty’s never going to forgive you, Luce. She’s going to curse our bloodline.”

 

The buzzer trills and the four of them pause, looking at each other.

 

The universal confusion is not reassuring.

 

\-----

 

Lucy sends her an apologetic look as she returns, General Lane behind her.

 

“Sir,” Clark says, standing up as Lois gives him a tepid hug.

 

“I didn’t know you’d be here,” Lois adds, shooting Lucy a dark look.

 

Lucy scowls back, face impassive when her father pulls back from Lois. “Surprised me too, sis.”

 

“You think I’m not going to come see my girls when they’re both in the same city?” Lane asks lightly, but Kara can feel everyone shift uneasily, just the slightest amount.

 

“I wasn’t aware you’d been informed,” Lucy says.

 

“You’re my girls,” Lane replies simply, placing his jacket over the chair at the head of the table.

 

Kara squeezes her spoon tightly, feels it bend and crumple as his eyes focus on hers.

 

“We haven’t met,” he says, reaching out. “General Sam Lane.”

 

“Kara Danvers, sir.”

 

“It’s good to see Lucy with some friends,” he adds, shaking her hand.

 

“Kara’s my girlfriend, Dad,” Lucy interrupts, and his hand suddenly tightens around Kara’s. Or it tries to, and Kara fights her impulse to see it reduced to a pulp of red in her fist.

 

Lane finally pulls back. “Well, I suppose she might be a step up from Olsen.” He either does not notice or ignores the tension around the table. Kara suspects it’s the latter.

 

“Let me get you a plate,” Lucy blurts, standing suddenly. Within moments there’s a strong scotch in front of Lane and a plate heaped full to almost rival Clark’s and Kara’s.

 

There’s a few blissful moments of silence, albeit awkward, and then Lane opens his mouth. “So, Danvers, huh?”

 

And Kara almost freezes, sure he is putting Agent Alex Danvers and Supergirl and Kara together. Lucy squeezes her knee.

 

“What do you do for a living, Ms. Danvers?”

 

“Oh, I work at CatCo.”

 

Kara notices the micro expressions change, just like she’s sure the rest of the room does. “Media, huh? Well, if CatCo can be called that.”

“Kara is Miss Grant’s assistant,” Lucy interjects tersely.

 

He lifts his glass. “Grant forgets just who helped her get where she is. The good people will remember when her articles get her into trouble again.” He takes another bite and mutters something that sounds an awful lot like “bleeding heart of a harpy” to human and super ears alike.

 

What follows is an assault of unsubtle digs that has Kara breathing deeply and clenching her fists together, having pulled away from Lucy. There’s an odd thrum in her veins, like her anger from around the time of Red Tornado is combining with Red Kryptonite (red really isn’t her color, is it?) and clouding her vision.

 

“That’s enough,” Clark breaks in, standing. Kara blinks away her heat vision, startled. “With all due respect sir, Kara is my cousin and I expect her to be treated the same way you treat me.”

 

Lane grunts but otherwise remains silent.

 

“Cousin?” Lois breathes, eyes wide and flicking between Clark and Kara. “Kara is your cousin?”

 

“You never mentioned that, Kara.” Lucy is doing the same thing as her sister, naturally.

 

Their eyes meet suddenly and the sisters almost physically recoil.

 

Kara can practically see the words buzzing their brain.  _ Does she know? About him/her/them? _

 

Kara hears it before Clark does. She excuses herself and slips out of the apartment, arguably to take a call. She heads to the roof instead, half-relieved.

 

\-----

 

“You can’t be here!” Kara whispers frantically.

 

“I had to make sure you were safe,” Astra argues. “That  _ human _ tortured me.” She reaches for Kara’s hand and clutches it tightly. “Do you know how terrified I was when I heard his voice so close to yours?” Astra’s thumb brushes Kara’s knuckles. “He won’t hesitate to do the same to you.”

 

“Which is why you need to leave. If he sees you here, talking to me, he’ll figure it out,” Kara says, before a new thought sends her heart stuttering. “And if he knows that, he might guess about my cousin too.”

 

“Kal-El is here?” Astra asks, staring through the rooftop with interest. She shakes her head after a moment. “You both wear these ridiculous human things.” She pokes the frame of Kara’s glasses, mashing it into her nose, and the frame threatens to bend. “They hide your eyes.”

 

“That’s kind of the point.”

 

Astra hums quietly. “You both were not coerced to be here? You are not held prisoner?”

 

Kara shakes her head. “We’re both on dates with his daughters. Sort of.”

 

The horror on Astra’s face is painfully visible. “He has offspring? And you two are  _ courting _ them? What is wrong with you?!”

 

Kara doesn’t have time to explain; she needs to get back to Lucy. “It kind of just happened.”

 

Her aunt sighs. “We will discuss this later.”

 

Her smile feels painfully fake when she returns to Lucy’s apartment. “Sorry about that. Work.”


End file.
